USA Pro Boxer Kalae McShane Fights for his Life in Bangkok Hospital

Following his 5th professional boxing victory in Thailand, Hawaii’s rising star Kalae McShane stayed in the country to train with their national team

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BANGKOK – A promising young professional boxer Kalae McShane, 22, from Hawaii U.S.A. lays in a induced coma in a Thailand hospital as he fights for his life.

Kalae McShane, was there chasing his dream as a professional boxer. He’s been in the ring since he was 8 winning belts and titles every step of the way. McShane turned pro last year and fought in Thailand for the WBO Asian Pacific Region.

On August 4th he started to feel headaches, little bit nauseous. Following that, he started to vomit, started feeling dizzy and lost consciousness.

McShane wound up in a Thai hospital where tests showed he had a swelling of the brain. But the hospital wasn’t advanced enough to treat him, transferring him to Bumrungrad International Hospital in Bangkok.

A battle on two fronts ensued — McShane’s father in Thailand fighting to get him into a better facility and Dee McShane in the US navigating a frustrating maze of health insurance and international coverage.

“We had to actually wait for four days while he lay in that county hospital, untreated, while Hawaii Blue Cross Blue Shield and Blue Card went back and forth trying to figure out how to get him covered,” said McShane.

McShane says HMSA has guaranteed coverage through this week. But already, the McShanes have racked up $18,000 in medical bills and costs mount quickly in intensive care.

“I can see if you’re international. You get a broken arm, you can pay for that and you can get reimbursed. With a situation like this, it’s not a broken arm, it’s a coma,” said McShane.

His new facility suspects an infection caused swelling in the brain. The McShanes are confident Kalae will get up off the canvas.

“He’s a fighter you know that’s what he always says. He’s a fighter and this is the fight of his life right now,” said McShane.